1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a building having a pitched, sculptured tile roof with a ridge extending atop the pitched, sculptured tile roof, which pitched, sculptured tile roof has a pitched tile roof venting arrangement.
2. Background Information
Building roofs comprise frame structures supported on the walls of a building. Conventional roof construction generally proceeds from a point at which all of the walls of the structure are erected and the structural members for the ceiling called “ceiling joists” are in place. Ceiling joists will typically be members placed center to center and spanning the narrow width of the structure. Splices in joists are preferably arranged to coincide with internal load bearing walls. Rafters are also placed center to center so that this spacing of joists permits fastening the ends of the rafters adjacent to a corresponding joist in every case. Conventional roof construction also has a ridge member and the top end of the rafter needs to be angle cut with the aid of the rafter square for a proper fit against the ridge member and possibly allowance for half the thickness of the ridge member must be made in determining the distance from the top of the rafter. Often the rafter is left with a “tail” which provides an overhang for the roof. The rafter tail may be “plumb cut” at an angle also using the rafter square. To mount roofing tiles on the roof, longitudinal straps or battens are disposed on the rafters substantially parallel to the ridge of the roof. The roofing tiles are then disposed in rows on the battens and ridge tiles are disposed on the ridge of the roof.
There arises the need at roofs for ridge coverings and ridge ventilations that serve for sealing the gaps remaining between ridge battens and roofing tiles and simultaneously for ensuring the adequate ventilation of the roof framing. Such gaps extend on both sides of the ridge battens in the longitudinal direction of the roof ridge. There also arises the need that the ridge coverings and ridge ventilations prevent rain water, snow, insects or debris from penetrating into the interior of the roof. There also arises the need that the roof interior is simultaneously ventilated in order to protect the roof framing against damage due to rot.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,459 issued to Freiborg on Jan. 3, 1995 discloses a ridge cover also useable as a shingle having a three dimensional appearance, together with methods of making and using the same. In one embodiment, right isosceles triangular pieces of asphalt composition roofing material are cut. Thereafter, the material on each side of the center line bisecting the right angle is folded under the top surface of the asphalt composition material a plurality of times in a Z-fold manner along lines approximately parallel to the center line to effectively progressively thicken the material at the respective side of the center line, the folding pattern for the two sides being symmetrical with each other. In manufacture, the triangle shaped pieces may be cut from a roll of material with no waste, may be progressively folded, stacked for shipment in a substantially solid stack, easily bent over a ridge during installation, and nailed into position utilizing hidden nails to obtain double coverage on hip and ridges in a manner simulating the outline of a heavy wood shape hip and ridge cover. The symmetry of the cover makes the same also useful as a shingle for a pronounced three dimensional hidden nail double coverage installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,426,898 issued to Larsen on Jun. 27, 1995 discloses a lead-free plate-shaped roof flashing material that comprises a sandwich structure in which a stress damping and stabilizing layer of ductile material is completely covered on one side and at least partly covered on the other side by preferably metallic foil sheetings, e.g. of aluminum foil, designed with densely positioned flattened folded sections having such a form, e.g. closed inverted pleats, that a material layer of each folded section gets into contact with the stress damping and stabilizing layer only when the folded sections open in connection with deforming the flashing material to make it fit to the roofing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,855 issued to Loucks on Aug. 15, 1995 discloses roofing components and method for pitched roofs includes a flexible base and one or more ranks of integrally formed thin blades, vanes or fins extending outwardly from the base. The blades, fins or vanes are spaced substantially parallel to each other and overlap to shadow lower elements and to provide air circulation and between blades, which are designed to sluff-off heat and impede thermal energy being transmitted to the roof. The blades, fins or vanes are flexible and resilient so as to absorb the impact of falling material (limbs, etc.). One edge portion of the base is free of blades to provide an overlapped area for installation on a pitched roof. Various overlapping and interlocking arrangements are disclosed for sealing purposes.
Ridge coverings and ridge ventilations serve for sealing the gaps remaining between ridge batten and roofing and simultaneously for ensuring the aeration and ventilation of the roof framing. These gaps extend on both sides of the ridge batten in the longitudinal direction of the roof ridge. The ridge coverings and ridge ventilations prevent rain water, snow, insects or debris from penetrating into the interior of the roof. The roof interior is simultaneously ventilated in order to protect the roof framing against damage due to rot.
A sealing strip for a ridge or peak covering with an air-permeable center strip and side strips bordering thereon is already known (EP O 341 343 Bl, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,816 issued to Hofmann et al. on Mar. 26, 1991). The center strip herein is comprised of an air-permeable, water-repellent and drift-snow-proof nonwoven fabric, while the side strips are comprised of soft polyisobutylene.
A similar ridge sealing strip with a center region and two side regions adjoining thereon is disclosed in WO 99/09272. The center region is herein comprised of a material which while it is air- or vapor-permeable, also has rain and snow-proof properties. The side regions, in contrast, are impermeable to moisture.
A ridge or peak ventilation element with a center part fastenable on a ridge or peak batten, as well as with side parts adjoining the center part on both sides, which can be placed with their outer margin regions onto roof coverings, is also known from EP 1013 845 A1. The outer margin regions are therein comprised of an air-permeable woven fabric and metal foil strips adjoining them.
Furthermore known is a ridge covering whose central zone is comprised of a nonwoven fabric, which ensures the penetration of air (EP O 610 324 B1). The central zone is laterally adjoined by two needled margin regions. To attain waterproofness with simultaneous air-permeability the ridge sealing is impregnated with acrylic resin. In the region of overlap of the central zone with the margin regions, air penetration channels are provided in the lateral direction.
In the case of the above listed known ridge sealings the venting takes essentially place through a nonwoven fabric. The advantage of these sealings comprises that they form a very good protection against drifting snow. However, disadvantageous is the fact that the nonwoven fabric directly forms the venting planes. Hereby the venting cross section is reduced to only 20 to 30% of the cross section proper. In addition, after loading with driven water, thorough soaking and water penetration can occur. On the relatively flatly positioned venting nonwoven fabrics, moreover, dust, insects or leaf residues can become deposited, which at least temporarily can lead to severe decrease of the venting.
Ridge and peak ventilation elements are also known, however, in whose central and/or lateral strip air penetration openings are provided (EP 0 974 712 A2; EP O 117 391 B1, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,291 issued to Hofmann on Mar. 4, 1986). About the air penetration openings can be provided up-right edges to prevent rain water from flowing in, which may penetrate into the uncovered junctions between the overlapping ends of the cover cap (cf. EP O 117 391 B1, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,291 Issued to Hofmann on Mar. 4, 1986).
The advantage of the ventilation elements with air penetration openings comprises that they have good venting effects. Therefore, water can normally not penetrate into the roof framing since the ventilation elements are covered by the ridge tiles. However, under extreme weather conditions, when rain water or snow are driven up by wind, secure tightness is not given.
Also known is a sealing strip for a ridge or peak covering, which comprises two sealing flaps connected each at their one end, which are provided with venting openings, through which air can penetrate into the interior of the roof (DE 22 56 675 A1, corresponding to GB Patent No. 1,449,506 filed on Nov. 16, 1973). In order to separate especially positively entrained rain water, drift snow or dust, the venting openings are disposed such that they are offset with respect to one another. In the case of this sealing strip, venting is difficult if the sealing flaps are disposed one on the other, since, due to the offset of the venting openings, the air is cut off. On the other hand, penetration, in particular of dust, is facilitated if the sealing flaps are not disposed tightly one on the other.
In the case of another known sealing strip for a ridge or peak covering, two side strips comprising venting openings are connected with one another by a center strip (DE 26 49 790 A1, corresponding to GB Patent No. 1,579,550 filed on Oct. 28, 1977). However, through these venting openings rain, snow and dust can readily penetrate.
Furthermore is known a ridge sealing strip, which comprises a central region making possible the removal of moisture of the subjacent ridge space, which is adjoined by lateral water-repellent side regions (WO 99/09272 A1). The central region is continuously width-variable at least in the boundary region on each side region. The known ridge sealing strips, however, do no have any venting openings.
While such venting openings are provided in another known ridge sealing strip (GB 2 155 516 A1, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,637 issued to Mason on Dec. 17, 1985), these venting openings are, however, not separately protected.